People Reviews
I’d like to know who first said it, and what it is referring to. Why not deader than 3 o’clock or 1 o’clock? I’ve always been curious about this…thanks!
in the restaurant business…after the lunch crowd and before the dinner crowd.
Well, 4am is pretty much referred to as “the dead of night,” the quietest time of the nighttime hours, long after everyone has gone to sleep, and long before anyone has woken up, so, anything that’s deader than 4 o’clock is REALLY dead!
Good luck!… ☺
What our team says
What does the expression *deader than 4 o’clock* mean?
The expression “deader than 4 o’clock” is a hyperbolic way of saying that someone or something is very dead.
The meaning of the expression *deader than 4 o’clock*
The expression “deader than o’clock” is a way of saying that someone or something is very dead. The phrase is most likely derived from the phrase “dead as a doornail,” which has been used since the early 1500s.
The phrase “deader than o’clock” is usually used to describe how dead something or someone is. For example, you might say “That party was deader than o’clock” to mean that the party was very boring and not worth your time.
If you want to emphasize how dead something or someone is, you can use the phrase “deader than a doornail.” For example, you might say “That party was deader than a doornail” to mean that it was even more boring and unenjoyable than you had thought it would be.
The origin of the expression
The expression “deader than o’clock” is derived from the phrase “dead as a doornail”. This expression has been used since the early 1800s and is still in use today. It means that something is completely dead or lifeless.
The phrase “dead as a doornail” likely comes from the fact that nails are one of the few things that are actually dead when you hammer them into something. When you drive a nail into wood, it is no longer alive. It is completely dead. Therefore, the phrase “dead as a doornail” means that something is just as dead as a nail.
If something is “deader than o’clock”, it means that it is even more dead than a nail. In other words, it is completely dead or lifeless. This expression is often used to emphasize just how dead or lifeless something is.
When to use the expression
The expression “deader than o’clock” is typically used to describe something that is very dead or inactive. For example, you might say “this party is deader than o’clock” to describe a party that is not very fun or exciting.
The expression can also be used to describe someone who is very tired or sleepy. For example, you might say “I’m deader than o’clock after working all day.”
In general, the expression is used to describe something that is not alive or active. So, if you want to emphasize how dead or inactive something is, you can use the expression “deader than o’clock.”
Examples of how to use the expression in a sentence
The expression “deader than o’clock” can be used to describe something that is very dead or no longer functioning. For example, you might say “this phone is deader than o’clock” if your phone has run out of battery and will not turn on.
You can also use the expression to describe someone who is very tired. For example, you might say “I’m deader than o’clock after working all day.”
The expression can also be used to describe something that is no longer popular or in fashion. For example, you might say “that style of clothing is deader than o’clock.”
Alternative expressions with a similar meaning
There are several alternative expressions with a similar meaning to “deader than o’clock.”
One alternative expression is “dead as a doornail.” This expression means that something is completely dead or inactive. For example, you might say “The power is out and the lights are dead as a doornail.”
Another alternative expression is “dead as a dodo.” This expression also means that something is completely dead or inactive. It can be used in the same way as “dead as a doornail.”
yet another alternative expression is “dead as a doorknob.” This expression has a similar meaning to the other two expressions. It can be used to describe things that are inactive or not working. For example, you might say “My computer is dead as a doorknob.”
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